Production of gaseous fuel having a low BTU level by the gasification of coal has been known and practiced for many years. As practiced in Europe, a low BTU gas of about 500 BTU/per cu. ft. has been produced. Since the United States economy is based on a high BTU fuel such as natural gas, it is necessary to enrich low BTU gas so as to be interchangeable with natural gas. Further, the flame characteristics of the product gas must be equivalent to the flame characteristics of natural gas. Coal contains 5 wt. % hydrogen and 75% carbon whereas natural gas contains about 25 wt. % hydrogen. Thus, the conversion of coal to pipeline gas requires chemical addition of hydrogen to the coal molecule. Thus, it is necessary to subject a portion of the carbon monoxide in the coal gasification products produced in the gasification stage to shift conversion. The additional carbon dioxide produced in raising the concentration of hydrogen to a level stochiometrically sufficient to convert all of the carbon monoxide to methane must be removed at some point in the process. Additionally it is necessary to remove essentially all traces of sulfur compounds from the gases prior to passing the feed gas over the highly reactive, sulfur sensitive nickel catalyst. Since carbon dioxide acts as a diluent, its presence in the product gas is undesirable since it lowers the BTU value below that required. Further, the flame speed of the product gas is affected by the concentration of carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Many of the coal gasification processes under consideration effect the removal of acid gas prior to the methanation stage. Depending upon the process utilized, the removal of carbon dioxide may simultaneously effect a removal of sulfur and chloride impurities which are poisons for the nickel methanation catalyst and which must be removed under any circumstances. Removal of the acid gases at this point, then, is effective in removing sulfur impurities and eliminates the necessity of removing the carbon dioxide after the methanation step.